As disclosed in, for example, cited reference 1, a conventionally known drive device of this type for which a roof panel constituting a part of a vehicle sunroof apparatus serves as the object to be driven is configured in such a way as to drive the roof panel by the push-pull operation of a drive cable. The drive device of cited reference 1 comprises a case in which a toothed mechanism for decelerating the rotational speed of a motor and an output shaft are housed. The case is mounted on a support plate constituting a part of the sunroof apparatus. One end side of the aforementioned output shaft protrudes from the case toward the support plate side. A pinion gear is fixed to one end side of the output shaft.
On the other hand, teeth that mesh with the pinion gear are formed in an outer circumferential surface of the cable of the drive device. The cable is configured separately to the support plate, and is held in an inserted state in a guide pipe mounted on the support plate. The cable inserted in the guide pipe is disposed in such a way that the teeth mesh with the pinion gear.
According to the aforementioned drive device, when the pinion gear is rotated as a result of the transmission of the rotational force of the motor to the output shaft by way of the toothed mechanism, the cable, while sliding within the guide pipe and being guided along a predetermined track, moves in the direction of its axial center line. The roof panel is driven by the movement of the cable.
Cited Reference 1: Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-168531